Washer and sterilizer



June 9, 5 F. H. BRAUN ETAL 2,839,837 WASHER AND STERILIZER Filed Oct'.17 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSJ FEED H Emu/v ear 0. EAOWA/SON- )4TTOE/VEY WASHER AND STERILIZEIR Filed Oct. l7, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS Z0 FRED H. BEA u/v ATTORNEY June 9, 1959 F. H. BRAUN ETALWASHER AND STERILIZER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 17, 1955 INVENTORSFEED H. BPHVN I ROY'O, BPOWNiO/V Uni WASHER AND STERILIZER ApplicationOctober 17, 1955, Serial No. 540,695.

11 Claims; (Cl. 134-140) g This invention relates to a washer andsterilizer for general use and particularly adapted to wash andsterilize the instruments of physicians, surgeons and dentists.

Heretofore, when absolute sterility of instruments was desired, steamand pressure were the usual mediums employed. It is an object of thepresent invention to wash, sterilize, rinse and dry' instruments of thecharacter indicated Without using pressure and/ or steam, therebyobviating the dangers attending such use.

Another object of the invention is to-provide a device thatautomatically carries out an operation in which the successive steps ofwashing, sterilizing, rinsing and drying are carried out in a cyclicoperation that does not require attention.

A further, object of the invention is to provide sterilizing means inwhich ultra-violet rays are used and which generate bacteria-destroyinggases in such degree that efiective sterilization is obtained.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawings merelyshow and the following descriptionmerely describes, one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a washer and sterilizer accordingto the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken on the line 3- 3 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged cross-sectional views as taken on therespective lines 4--4 and 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a similarly enlarged fragmentary and longitudinal sectionalview of spray means used in the construction. v

Fig. 7 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on line 7-7of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a similarly enlarged fragmentary view, partly in crosssection,of elements of the construction that are shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 9 is a broken longitudinal sectional view of an ultra-violet raytube and'socket as used in the device.

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram.

:The washing and sterilizing device that is illustrated comprises,generally, a housing 15, an inlet 16 for Washing fluid, means 17 forintroducing a detergent into the fluid, fluid-spraying means 18,instrument-carrying means 19, drain means 20, ultra-violet lamp means21, and

tes Pater and 29, respectively. The tank is preferably formed to haveend walls 30 and 31 that are connected by an oval wall 32 that is openat'the'top, said opening being provided with a cover or lid 33 having ahandle 34. The cover is carried on a hinge 35 and a latch or lock 36 isprovided for holding the cover closed and in sealing engagement with agasket 37 carried by the tank. A lower boss 38 is formed in the tankwall 32 and the same houses the drain 2th.

The housing ends 26 and 27 are similarly shaped and are preferablyformed to have sloping upwardly facing walls 39 and 46, respectively,and lower curved closure walls 41 and 42, respectively.

It will be clear that the tank end walls 30 and 31 contain fluid in thetank and prevent the same entering the housing ends 26 and 27.

The inlet 16 is shown as a pipe 43 that extends through wall 41 ofhousing end 26, a solenoid valve 44 to which said pipe 43 is connected,and a fitting 45 aflixcd to tank wall 30 and which is provided with abearing socket 46. Said valve 44 controls flow between pipe 43 andsocket 46.

As shown in the wiring diagram of Fig. 10, a current source 47 isconnected to energize the coil 48 of valve 44 by means of conductors 49and 50. The circuit thus provided includes a master switch 51, afloat-controlled switch 52 and a switch 53, all of which must be closedto effect energization of coil 48 and opening of valve 44. Said circuitis also controlled by a switch 54 provided in a relay 55.

The energy for relay 55 is provided by the secondary low-voltage coil 56of a transformer 57 whose primary coil 58 is connected across thecurrent source 47. The circuit that provides said energy comprisesconductor 59 from one side of secondary 56 to the coil 60 of the relay,a conductor 61 from the said coil to the opposite side of the secondary56, and a push button switch 62 in the.

latter conductor.

Relay 55 is of the holding type, a switch 63 being provided to hold thecoil 60 energized after release of push button switch 62. To this end, aconductor 64 connects switch 62 and conductor 61, a conductor 65 fromsaid switch connects to a relay-controlled switch 66 which is connectedto the coil 60 by a conductor 67. Thus, when switch 62 is open andswitch 63 closed, the relay coil 69 remains in energizing circuit andthis circuit is maintained until switch 63 is opened.

When switch 63 is opened to open the circuit to the relay 55, an audiblesignal may be sounded, the buzzer 68 (Fig. 10) being provided for thispurpose. By connecting one side of said buzzer by a conductor 69 toconductor 59 and the other side by a conductor 70 to the open side ofswitch 63, said buzzer is placed in circuit with the secondary coil 56when the switch 63 is actuated to move from relay-energizing position.

A tell-tale light 71 is placed across secondary 56 to apprise of closingof switch 51 and that electricalpower is being conducted to the device.A tell-tale light 72 is shown connected in the relay-energizing circuit,the same being lit when switch 63 is in the position shown and the relaycoil energized. This light, being connected across the coil 60, remainslit only as long as said coil is energized and darkens when the buzzer68 sounds.

' The means 17 is shown as a container 73 that may be Patented done 9,1959 3 removably carried by housing end 26 and is provided withatomizing or spraying means 74 that may be actuated to dispense thecontents of said container into tank 25 in desired quantities. Liquiddetergent is contemplated as the liquid in container 73.

The spraying means 18 is best seen in Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 7 and comprises,generally, a U-shaped frame 75, and aligned trunnions 76 and 77 mountingsaid frame for rotation within the interior of tank 25.

The frame 75 is shown as comprised of a horizontal tube 78 that has alongitudinal slit 79 provided in the inner or lower portion thereof, atransverse tube 80 connected to one end of tube 78 and having a closedend 81, and a transverse bar 82 connected to the other end of tube 78.

Trunnion 76 comprises a nipple 83 that extends into the interior of tube80 and has journal bearing in the socket 160f fitting 45, an O-ring 84serving to seal between said nipple and socket to enable rotating of theformer. Trunnion 77 comprises a driven shaft of the means 22 laterdescribed.

It will be understood that the fluid released by valve 44, when open,passes into tube 80 and thence into tube 78 to pass outward through slit79 in the form of a spray, as indicated in Fig. 3. For the purpose ofuniformly distributing the fluid in tube 78, a bridge piece 85 is placedlongitudinally therein to form a bafile wall which has perforations 86that are placed to provide the mentioned uniformity of fluiddissemination. Also, the tube 80 and the end of bar 82 opposite tube 78,are provided with perforations 87-12 to direct fluid against tank walls30 and 31 to clean them during operation of the device.

While tube 78 is disposed on one side of the axis of rotation of theframe 75, the ends of tube 80 and bar 82 have oppositely directed endsdisposed on the opposite side of said axis. As can be seen from Fig. 6,said ends are provided with studs 87 on which the instrumentcarryingmeans 19 is carried.

Said means 19 is shown as an open basket or tray 88, provided with endsuspenders 89 engaged with studs 87, and provided with a weight 90 thatholds said tray horizontally pendent during rotational movement of frame75. Fig. 3 shows two positions of the means 18 and it will be apparentthat the spray from slit 79 not only impinges on the top of theinstruments in tray 88 but also impinges on the sides and under faces ofsaid instruments during the course of a cycle of rotation of the frame75.

The drain means 20comprises an outlet 91 in boss 38 connecting with anoutlet nipple 92, and a disc valve 93 controlling said outlet 91 andguided for vertical movement in a projection 94 formed in tank wall 31.

Said means 2% further includes an expansion spring 95 around the stem ofvalve 93 and which abuts, at one end, on projection 94 and, at the otherend, against the free end of a rod 96 which connects with valve 93. Saidrod is carried by a stud 97 rotationally carried by tank wall 31. Itwill be seen that the spring 95 normally expands to raise valve disc 93in spaced relation to the end of outlet 91. This is the drainingposition of the means 20. See Figs. and 8.

The mentioned valve is disposed on the tank side of wall 31, the stud 97extending through said wall and being provided on the other side with arod 98 that is adapted to be actuated by the cyclic timing means toovercome spring 95 and cause rod 96 to move the valve to drainclosingposition.

A float means is associated with the drain means, the same comprising afloat 99 carried on the end of an arm 100 which is connected to a stud101 having rotational bearing in wall 31. Said float means is responsiveto fluid in tank 25 and the stud 101 carries an actuator rod 102 thatoperates switch 52 when the level in said tank raises float 99 to apredetermined height. Switch 52 is a normally-closed switch and thefloat opens the same to open the circuit that energizes solenoid coil 48of valve 44.

The ultra-violet lamp means 21 comprises two lamp sockets 103 carried bytank wall 31 and positioned at the foci of generation of the curved wallsides 104 of tank 25. While the position of the sockets is approximateto the foci, the lamps 105 mounted therein, in addition to direct raysinto the tank, use said curved sides 104 to send reflected rays into thetank. For this purpose, the inner faces of the curved wall sides arepolished for high reflection.

The sockets 103 are generally conventional and the electrical contactsthereof are rendered proof against the fluid in the tank by filling thesame with a dielectric grease 106 that serves to exclude the fluid. Asoft rubber ring 107 around the base of each tube serves to retain thegrease and serves as a seal, as shown in Fig. 9.

It will be seen that the lamps 105 are impinged by spray from means. 18as the latter rotates on the axis of trunnions 76 and 77. The particlesof fluid that contact said lamp, being divided, become charged withozonea gas that greatly lends to sterilization of the fluid.

Said lamp sockets 103 are connected in a series circuit 108 with thesecondary winding 109 of a step-up transformer 110. The primary winding111 of said transformer is connected across the secondary 56 oftransformer 57, the connecting circuit 112 including a switch 113 thatis actuated by means 114 controlled by the cover or lid 33 of tank 25.Thus, the lamps 105 can be on only when said tank lid is closed. Atell-tale light 115 is connected across circuit 112 and apprises of thecondi tion of the lamp circuit, the lamp lighting only when switch 113is closed.

The cyclic timing means 22 is best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and comprises,generally, an electric motor 116, a gear train 117 driven by said motor,and a cam 118 driven by said train, the spray means 18 also being drivenby said train of gears.

The motor 116 is mounted on wall 31 of the tank 25 and is connected tothe current source 47 by conductors 119 and 120 which are connectedacross the conductors 49 and 50. Only the power switch 51 and the relayswitch 54 control the motor circuit. A heater 121, located in tank 25 toheat the fluid therein, is shown in the diagram as connected across themotor circuit and is in circuit when switches 51 and 54 are closed.

Motor 116 is provided with a worm 122 on its output shaft, the samedriving a worm wheel 123 mounted on wall 31 to turn on a center 124. Apinion gear 125, driven by the worm wheel, drives a gear-126 on thetrunnion 77. This is the drive for the spray means 18.

A pinion gear 127 on the axis of trunnion 77 rotates with gear 126 anddrives a gear 128 on a center 129, the mentioned cam 118 being connectedto rotate with gear 128. Thus, the cam 11S rotates at a slower rate thandoes trunnion 77 which makes several revolutions for each full rotationof the cam. The latter is provided with a shoulder 130 that moves in thepath of rod 98 to deflect the latter and cause closing of the drainvalve 93, a shoe 131 that operates switch 53 in the fluid-controlcircuit 49, 50, and a shoe 132 that operates switch 63 to establish therelay circuit above described.

Since the motor circuit is opened by relay switch 54, when shoe 132operates switch 63 to open the relay circuit, said motor stops and themeans 22 stops moving with said shoe 132 holding the buzzer circuitclosed. The latter remains on until power switch 51 is opened. Only whenthe latter switch is closed and switch 62 manually operated is the cycleof operation repeated.

Operation After tray 58 is filled with articles to be sterilized and thelid 33 is closed and latched, the power switch 51 is snapped on and thebutton of switch 62 is pushed to close said switch. This will establishthe circuit through the relay coil 60 which becomes energized and closesswitches 54 and 66. Now, the motor circuit is established to move shoe132 away from switch 63 which moves to the position of Fig. to hold therelay circuit. Since the float 99 is down, switch 52 is closed, beingnormally closed. At this point, cam shoe 131 is holding switch 53closed. Since the circuit to the solenoid valve coil 48 is now closed,the spray of liquid from means 18 washes over the instruments and outthrough theopen drain. v

The motor circuit being closed at the same time, the cam rotates untilshoulder 130 engages rod 98 to close the drain and the same remainsclosed as tank 25 fills to a predetermined level under control of float99 and switch 52 opened thereby. The valve 44 closing, the spray shutsoff. The means 18 continues to rotate intermittently dipping theinstrument-laden tray into the water which is agitated by tube 75 as thesame moves therethrough. At this time, the means 17 may be operated tointroduce detergent into the bath.

The ultra-violet ray lamps act on the instruments in the tray as thesame move into and out of the bath, which is being heated to about 170to 180 F.

When rod 98 is released, the drain opens to dump the contents of thetank. Thereafter, the spray means may again be turned on to rinse theinstruments, tank walls and lamps 105 and this rinse stopped to allowthe heat of heater 121 to dry the instruments.

The particular steps of the cycle of operation may be varied and thetime allotted to each step also varied without change in the concept ofthe present invention.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described What is nowcontemplated to be the best mode of carrying out our invention, theconstruction is, of course, subject to modification without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, notdesired to restrict the invention to the particular form of constructionillustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

l. A washer and sterilizer comprising an enclosed housing, said housingincluding a tank, spray means disposed in the tank, means to rotate thespray means located in the housing outside the tank, an article-holdingtray suspended from the spray means and movable therewith in a rotarypath, a drain in said tank, means to control the drain to discharge orretain the spray fluid, as desired, and ultra-violet lamp means withinthe tank and providing rays that impinge on the articles in said trayduring the mentioned movement of the tray, said spray means including adischarge that impinges on the ultra-violet lamp means as said meansrotates.

2. A washer and sterilizer comprising an enclosed housing, said housingincluding a tank, spray means disposed in the tank, means to rotate thespray means located in the housing outside the tank, an article-holdingopen mesh tray suspended from the spray means and movable therewith in arotary path, said spray means being formed to direct its spray toimpinge on articles disposed in the tray during all rotated positions ofboth the spray means and the tray, a drain in said tank, means tocontrol the drain to discharge or retain the spray fluid, as desired,timing means operatively connected to both the spray means and the drainmeans to close the drain during filling of the tank by the spray means,ultra-violet lamp means within the tank and providing rays that impingeon the articles in said tray during the mentioned movement of the tray,said spray means including a discharge that impinges on the ultravioletlamp means as said means rotates.

3. A washer and sterilizer according to claim 2, said lamp meansembodying lamp sockets, and said sockets being filled with dielectricgrease to insulate the same against the fluid spray.

4. A washer and sterilizer comprising an enclosed housing, said housingincluding a tank, spray means disposed in the tank, said tank beingelliptical in cross-sectional form, and ultra-violet lamp means disposedapproximately at the foci of the curved ends of the tank, said I lattermeans being adapted to be impinged by the spray of the spray means. V Vy 5. In a washer and sterilizer, a spray device comprising a rotatingelongated member having a longitudinal slit to emit spray, anarticle-holding tray suspended from the device and movable bodily in acircular path as the member rotates, the slit being directed to directspray fluid onto the articles on the tray as the device is rotatedaround the tray, a tank in which the spray means is disposed and havingan elliptical cross-sectional form, and ultra-violet ray means withinthe tank outside of the paths of movement of the slitted member andarticleholding tray.

6. In a washer and sterilizer, a spray device comprising a rotatingelongated member having a longitudinal slit to emit spray, anarticle-holding tray suspended from the device and movable bodily in acircular path as the member rotates, the slit being directed to directspray fluid onto the articles on the tray, a tank in which the spraymeans is disposed and having an elliptical cross-sectional form, andultra-violet ray means within the tank outside of the paths of movementof the slitted member and article-holding tray, said latter meanscomprising two ultra violet lamps and sockets mounting said lamps, saidsockets being disposed at the approximate foci of the end curves of theelliptical tank.

7. A Washer and sterilizer comprising an enclosed housing, said housingincluding a tank, spray means disposed in the tank, means to rotate thespray means located in the housing outside the tank, an article-holdingtray suspended from the spray means and movable therewith in a rotarypath, a drain in said tank, means to control the drain to close the sameafter a predetermined drain-open period, and a float-controlled means toopen the drain when the fluid in the tank reaches a predetermined level,an electric motor, a gear train driven by said motor, a drive betweensaid train and the spray means to rotate the latter, and a slower drivebetween said train and the drain-controlling means.

8. In a washer and sterilizer, a rotatable bar, a rotatable tube havingone end open, said tube and said bar being of the same length androtatable in a vertical plane, a spray tube mounted in between the barand the first tube (and at the open end of the latter), and an articleholding tray freely suspended in between the bar and the first tube atthe ends thereof opposite from said spray tube, said tray being adaptedto maintain a horizontal position while rotated by the bar and the firsttube.

9. In a washer and sterilizer according to claim 8: the spray tubehaving a longitudinal slit therein for directing the spray toward thetray, and the tray having a perforated bottom to permit the spray topenetrate the same and impinge on the articles therein as the spray tubeis rotated around the tray.

10. In a washer and sterilizer according to claim 8: the spray tubehaving a longitudinal slit therein for directing the spray toward thetray, and a longitudinal bridge piece within the tube directly above theslit, said bridge piece having a plurality of perforations therein.

11. A washer and sterilizer comprising an enclosed housing, said housingincluding a tank, spray means disposed in said tank, means to rotate thespray means located in the housing outside the tank, an article-holdingopen mesh tray suspended from the spray means and movable therewith in arotary path, said spray means being formed to direct its spray toimpinge on articles disposed in the tray during all rotated positions ofboth the spray means and the tray, a drain in said tank, means tocontrol the drain to discharge or retain the fluid spray, as desired,said spray means being provided with a spray head that is offset fromthe axis of rotation of the spray means, the spray means being providedwith extensions 7 8 on the opposite side of said axis from the sprayhead, 687,374 Hamer Nov. 26, 1901 and said extensions being providedwith means by which 936,237 Curran Oct. 5, 1909 the tray is suspended.1,399,978 Monaghan Dec. 13, 1909 1,611,651 Leavitt Dec. 21, 1926References Cited in the file of this patent 5 1,927, 5 Ki Sept 19 1933 12,078,670 Kirby Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,561,631 Negri July24, 1951 542,460 Bl l y 9, 9 2,592,131 Farm, Apr 5 676,401 GibbsFeb-2,1897 2,673,835 Kearney Mar. 30, 1954

